Countdown Vol 1 31
* * * * ** ** ** ** ** Supporting Characters: * * * * * * Antagonists: * ( ) * ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** ** Other Characters: * * * * * * Locations: * ** * ** ** * ** ** * ** *** *** ** *** Items: * Vehicles: * None | StoryTitle2 = The Origin of the Joker | Synopsis2 = The Joker was once a failed comedian who was manipulated into a life of crime. He adopted the costumed identity of the Red Hood and ran afoul of the Batman. During their initial confrontation at a chemical processing plant, the Red Hood fell into a vat of chemicals which turned his skin white, and his hair green. It also drove him insane. Since then, he has adopted the identity of the Joker and has become Batman's arch-nemesis. | Editor2_1 = Elisabeth V. Gehrlein | Editor2_2 = Michael Siglain | Writer2_1 = Mark Waid | Penciler2_1 = Brian Bolland | Inker2_1 = Brian Bolland | Colourist2_1 = Matt Hollingsworth | Letterer2_1 = Jared K. Fletcher | Appearing2 = Featured Characters: * Supporting Characters: * Antagonists: * None Other Characters: * None Locations: * ** Items: * Vehicles: * | Notes = * This issue shipped on September 26th, 2007. * 1st full appearance of Earth-3. The Crime Society of Earth-3 first appeared in a cameo in ''52'' Week Fifty-Two. They also made a cameo appearance in ''Countdown'' #32. They chronologically appeared last in ''Countdown: The Search for Ray Palmer - Crime Society'' #1. * Mister Mxyzptlk as he appears in this issue, physically resembles his Earth-Two counterpart Mister Mxyztplk (note the spelling). * "The Origin of the Joker" is told from the perspective of the Joker himself, and may or may not contain factual information. Flashbacks from the Joker's origin are synonymous with the history and imagery provided in Batman: The Killing Joke. | Trivia = * In "The Origin of the Joker", one of the Joker's perceived possible origins is that of a mob killer named Napier. This is a nod towards the characterization of the Joker in the 1989 film Batman. In the movie, Jack Nicholson plays a mobster named Jack Napier who later becomes the Joker. The Jack Napier alias has never been established as a canonical real name for the comic book version of the character. To date, the Joker's true name is still a mystery. * 1st New Earth appearances of Buddy Blank and Kamandi. In Pre-Crisis continuity, both characters hailed from the reality known as Earth-AD. Buddy was the grandfather of Kamandi and eventually became the first O.M.A.C.. In this issue, Buddy's grandson is seen playing with a brown dog. This may be the New Earth counterpart to Doctor Canus, a talking canine character who appeared regularly in the Kamandi comic book series. | Recommended = * 52 * Countdown * Countdown: Arena * Countdown: The Search for Ray Palmer * Countdown to Adventure * Countdown to Mystery | CustomSection1 = Related Articles | CustomText1 = * 2007 * Countdown * Countdown Crossovers | Links = * Countdown article at Wikipedia * Countdown series index at Comicbookdb.com * Countdown series index at the Grand Comics Database * Countdown article at Newsarama * Countdown Counseling at Silver Bullet }}